Of same place



W. W. DEAN.

FUSE HOLDER. y

Patented Jen. 26, 1897.

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

VILLIAM IV. DEAN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO THE BELL TELEPHONE COMPANY OF MISSOURI, OF SAME PLACE.

FUSE-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 576,040, dated January 26, 1897'.

Application filed September 19, 1896. Serial No. 606,341. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom t 11mg concer-:c:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. DEAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Fuse-Holders, (Oase No. 13,) of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, lreference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvement-s in an electric fuse-holder, and more particularly to the class in which, simultaneously with the melting of the fuse, the circuit-terminals are adapted to be widely separated an d a grounded connection established, the object of said invention being to provide simple and eii'ective apparatus for accomplishing the abovenamed results.

The device of the present application may be briefly described as consisting oi' circuitterminals between which the fuse is adapted to be connected and aheavy grou ndin g-sprin g engaging one end of a lever forming one of the circuit-terminals, said spring being adapted to effect the separation of said terminals, and is maintained out of contact with the ground connection onl y when the fuse remains intact.

I will describe my invention more particularly by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of my device. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Figs. 3, fi, and 5 are detail views. y

Throughout ea'ch of the several iigures like parts are designated by the same letter of reference.

Upon the metallic base a are mounted the terminals I) o of the protected circuit, which are respectively insulated therefrom by bushing d and block e. Insulating-block f serves to support the grounding-spring g and clip h, which are connected With one limb of the circuit by terminal Vscrew Z9. The powerful iiat spring g, when unchecked, maintains the ground contact with base ct, as illustrated in Fig. 5, said base being` connected with earth at fz'.

Secured to the insulating-strip 7e is the seat m, upon which the lever Z is maintained. Said .lever has its rear end bent at right angles, which is inserted between the guards formed by the vertical portions both of the spring g and seat m, said parts being cut away the full Width of the lever, as is seen in Figs. 3 and 4. The rear of seat m thus forms a fulcrum for lever Z, which serves to raise spring g from its ground contact when the said lever is maintained approximately in a horizontal position. When a fuse is to be inserted, the lever is drawn downward, as shown in Fig. l, andthe said fuse n is fastened between thelever and terminal c by screws o p. Lug q, provided upon the said lever, will in this position engage groove r, cut in seat Z and strip Zt', thus preventing any lateral play Aof the lever.

Between the clip Zt and base a are inserted the carbon blocks t t, separated by a thin sheet oi mica u, serving normally to insulate the clip from ground. Said insulation, however, is easily destroyed by a heavy stat-ic discharge, this construction, therefore, admirably serving the purpose of a lightning-arrester.

In many instances it is desirable to have a signal given immediately a fuse is burned out, and especially is this true where large numbers of such devices are employed and the circuit interruption is liable to escape notice. I have, therefore, indicated means for giving such a signal. Tire fr is maintained taut a short distance above the device, which the lever Z is adapted to engage when released by disruption of fuse a.- Oonnected with the said wire is the battery yw and signal-bell grounded at z', through which circuit is closed when the lever is released from its horizontal position and is forced backward, assuming a vertical position under the influence of spring g.

Although the ground-contact in my device is made through the agency of a powerful spring` g, by reason of the length of lever Z, the fuse is subjected only to a moderate tension, While serving to maintain the groundin g-spring separated from its ground connection. A further tension, however, may be placed upon the f use-wire, if desired, by bending the lever Z in inserting the fuse. In a course of experiments with the above device I have discovered that a much greater regularity in the current carrying capacity of IOO fuses is secured when the same are placed under moderate tension than when connected with the protected. circuits under no tension whatever, as eonn'nonly obtail'is.

Il'aving now described my invention, I claim, and desire to secure by these Letters lat-ent, the following:

l. In a strongscurrent arrester, the combination with the heavy flat spring g of lever t engaging the said spring, fulerum m provided for said lever near the point of its engagement with the spring, part C, the said part and lever forming the terminals of the protected circuit, and a conductor adapted normally to close the circuit between the lever andthe second circuit-terminal against the tension of the heavy spring which tends to maintain the eircuitterminals in widely-separated positions, substantially as described.

2. In a fuse-holding device, the combination with a ground connection of a heavy spring adapted to effect contact therewith, a lever `formed of spring-like material engaging the same at a short distance from its fulerum, the said spring-like lever constituting' one ol the circuit-terminals, a second circuitterminal, and a fuse adapted to be connected between the said. terminals thereby flexing;` the lever and heavyspring` and normally opening' the circuit to ground, substantially as de scribed.

il. In a fuse-holder, the combination with levci'f 1'1ni11g one terminal of the protected circuit, of grouudine-spring` g engaging said lever near the fnlerum m, ground connection u, circuit-terminal e, and fuse n adapted to t be connected between the said terminals when the lever Z is depressed, by which a tension is imparted to said fuse and sturing;l g is raised from its ground-con tact, substantially as deA scribed.

4:. The combination with a heavy spring g/ of lever Z .formed of springdike material eu gaging the same constitutingone terminal ot' the protected circuit, part e coi'istitmting` the second terminal thereof, and a fuse in, adapted to ube inserted between the said terminals against the tension et' the lever Z and spring g, whereby the circuit is completed during;I the normal Ilow of current, substantially as described.

In a fuse-holder, the combination `with the groundiiig-spring' g of the ground conneegtion a adapted to be engaged thereby, the

lever Z ei'igaging the said spring near the fnlm erum m and adapted to raise the sprint,Y and break the ground connection thereof, said t lever forming one terminal of the protected t circuit, a fuse, and means for securiin;` the saine te the end of the lever remote from said. spring, and a second circuit-terminal to which the fuse is adapted to be attached, thus dei' pressing the lever maintainingY a tension upon said fuse, and raising' the sprintr .from its ground connection, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I hereunto suhscri be my name this ltth day of September, A. D. 18%.

XYILLIAM XV. lllik. l\\'itnesses:

GEORGE l. BAnroN, Geenen L. Gnade. 

